Awwi
by iTaleTeller
Summary: It takes a moment for the children of Plantation 13 to realize why, when Hiro and Zero Two step out of the Franxx, they feel so different. [Short mostly fluff story I Had to write after episode 13 and more so after the preview of ep 14]


AWWI

It takes a moment for the children of Plantation 13 to realize why, when Hiro and Zero Two step out of the Franxx, they feel so different.

It's not that they are pretty much glued to each other - hips touching, one hand on the other's waist, the other lying on top of it intertwining their fingers. They had always been the most physically intimate pair in Plantation 13, so even that much contact was not unexpected.

What's surprising is how truly at ease they seem with each other, shoulders fallen with complete abandon, chests growing bigger and bigger with every breath, as if their lungs had been held by chains and now they could breathe in peace with nothing to worry them.

It's not their eyes, although they are different too. Red and puffy, leaking tears marks all over their faces. And while, as far as the children knew, Zero Two wasn't one to cry in battles, she would be far from being the first pilot to come back from a mission in tears. One could even say that, after her recent bouts of strained stoicism and rampaging fury, seeing her have something as normal as a crying breakdown was a relief.

But one look at their faces and anybody would be hard pressed to believe they'd been crying. They radiate happiness, eyes constantly seeking one another, smiles widening with every eye contact so much they soon threaten to swallow their faces whole.

They are bigger, that much everybody can agree on. It's not a height thing, the children feel sure if one were to measure them, they'd be just as tall coming out as they'd been going in, but somehow their bodies seem larger. In a way they can't explain, Hiro and Zero Two had grown in the last battle.

But the biggest change makes itself obvious when the children rush them and Hiro ignores all their questions to talk to the one boy who had kept quiet.

"I'm so glad you made it back alive after the injections, Mitsuru. I'm sorry I didn't fulfill my promise, but I'd like to talk to you later."

Then he smiles and it's like the sun coming out after years of cloudy skies. At once, all the children are struck with memories of the garden, of a little boy coming to them with a smile on his face and a name on his lips.

"To all of you as well," Hiro continues as Mitsuru holds on to Goro to keep himself upright, "but it will have to wait. Right now Zero Two and I need some time alone."

"That won't be possible." It's Nana, rushing down the stairs with Hachi hot on her back and a face full of concerned anger. "Zero Two went on rampage mode and your vitals went crazy as a result. We'll need to-"

"No."

The adults stop, dead on their tracks. All the children shudder. While just as calm as before, Hiro had somehow filled that lonely syllable with a lifetime of wrath. And then he looks at them, and his eyes are scathing with a promise that none shall get on his way.

"We'll be back later," says Zero Two as casually as one would talk about the weather, and the couple turns around and leaves.

-O-O-O-O-

Nana and Hachi give up on pursuing them with surprising ease. So do the other children, the memory of Hiro's glare too fresh on their memory, except for Zorome who had always been more prone to look for adventures than for the possibility of danger. Somehow he gets Miku to tag along, and off they go to look for the runaways.

They return in time for dinner with scarce news.

Finding Hiro and Zero Two hadn't been a problem. They had holed themselves up in a room on the sealed-off first floor, but that was the only luck Argentea's pilots had had.

Through the closed door all they could hear were faint whispers and sobs with an occasional spark of angry shouting, but it was so sudden the eavesdroppers couldn't make out what they were talking about.

Finally, curiosity beat caution and they tried to open the door, only to find it wouldn't budge an inch no matter how much they pushed, and from their disheveled appearances when they resurfaced to have dinner, they had pushed a lot.

-O-O-O-O-

The following morning is cold but sunny, and with no Klaxosaur attacks in the horizon Kokoro finishes her breakfast, puts on her cold-weather clothes and goes to the greenhouse. She walks in and realizes there's someone else looking at the flowers.

"Hiro! Are you okay? You look..."

"Tired?" Hiro's eyes are red and even puffier than the previous day, underscored by deep dark bags. He's still wearing his piloting suit which looks and smells like it hasn't been removed in a day, and for some reason he's covering his forehead with a bandage, but he waves a hand as if to make light of it and smiles in that wonderful way that seems to make the sun a bit brighter.

"Yes," Kokoro offers with a shy smile, "but also happier. Much happier than I've seen you in a long time."

Hiro closes his eyes and nods peacefully, as if savoring her words.

"I need your help,"

"My help? What for?"

"You know more about flowers than anybody here. And also... you have been reading, right? About how things used to be."

Kokoro turns away and fidgets with the water pitcher. It's not that she doesn't trust Hiro, but she's still not sure taking the book with her was not against the rules, and the more people who find out about it, the bigger the chance a grown-up would also find out and make her give it up.

Hiro puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Your secret is safe with me," he says with a smile and Kokoro's heart catches in her throat. It's as if he were reading her mind, finding all of her worries and promising each and every one individually that they would never come to pass.

It's something she hasn't felt since he turned 'code: 556' into 'Kokoro'.

"What do you need?"

-O-O-O-O-

Noon rolls in and Hiro returns to the room he shares with Zero Two.

"It's me," he tells the door. Immediately there's the sound of something heavy being dragged and the door slams open, a hand grabs him by the wrist and whisks him inside the room. As soon as he's in, Zero Two closes the door with a kick then heaves the wardrobe in front of it and envelops him in a bone-crushing hug that he returns without hesitation.

"It is you," she says after a few seconds, voice choking with disbelief. She licks him in the cheek, then again from the jaw upwards. The third time he catches her tongue with his own, tastes the sweetness of her mouth, eagerly pokes her fangs as she plays with his.

"I have something for you," he whispers when they break the kiss to breathe.

"It can wait," she replies, burying her head in the crevasse of his neck.

"Yeah," he says and nuzzles back. Then after a moment...

"What is it?" he gently pries himself from the hug and leads her by the hand to window. It's a clear day and the sun shines on the remains of yesterday's blizzard. As one they open the window and let the cool air wash over them.

"I remember the picture book," says Hiro all of a sudden, and watches with great pleasure as Zero Two smiles, her cheeks lightly flushed. "I remember everything from the days we spent together. Exploring. Eating. Reading. And," he clears his throat. His heart is pounding so loudly he can barely hear himself think, "I remember the promise we made."

Gently holding her hand, Hiro goes down on one knee and digs under his suit's chest plate, producing two pieces of green candy with strings attached to each ear of the wrapper.

"In the old times people would put a ring on their lover's finger when they got married. We don't have that kind of thing here but-"

Zero-Two tackles him to the floor before he can get the rest out.

"Does that mean you-"

"Yes!"

"I think you're" _supposed to say 'I do'_ is what he means to say, but Zero-Two kisses him and the words melt in her mouth. When she lets him go he kneels again and wraps the pieces of string together around her ring finger. Then she does the same on his.

He takes a moment to admire the makeshift ring and her glowing face. She's crying and smiling in a way he's never seen before and he can't help but start crying as well.

"I love you, Zero Two," he manages between tears. She starts crying harder.

"I love you too, darling. _Hiro,_ " before he knows it his arms are around her and he's pressing her tight to his body and she's hugging him too, her tears mixing with his as they both enjoy the new, much belated step in their relationship.

"Are you still bleeding, darling?" Zero Two asks after a while, and all of a sudden Hiro realizes he's still wearing the bandage. He takes it off and looks at his reflection on the window. Budding on his forehead, small but bigger than they were the previous night, are two sharp blue horns. "They don't hurt anymore. I like them."

"Not everybody will," says Zero Two breaking the hug and sitting by the windowsill. Hiro follows her.

"Those who matter will. We'll make sure to convince them."

"Darling, you're always so optimistic."

"I know it will be hard. We have so many things to explain. Zorome will be the one hurt the most by all of it. But..." he takes Zero Two's hand in his, runs his thumb on her ring. "But I know we'll be able to do it. Because we'll be together."

Zero Two breaks into a grin. "Do you promise, darling?"

"I do," he takes her hand, as he did so many years ago, and the rings catch the afternoon sun, shining like diamonds. "Zero Two, I promise to be with you, now and forever."

 **-O-O-O-O-**

 **AN: after episode 13 I was too full of emotions, I just wanted to give these two some semblance of real romance and a happy ending, and I wanted to get it done before episode 14 aired. I made it by a few hours, yay me :D**

 **This is literally the first thing I've written and completed in years, so if you need to tear it up by all means do, I'd like to know where I'm the most rusty to improve.**

 **Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed this little fic, see you next time.**


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